ST PAUL, Minn. — Rep. Ray Dehn will try to convince fellow lawmakers to foot the bill for a mural celebrating the life of the late Minnesota music icon Prince.
The Minneapolis Democrat is seeking $250,000 for public money for the mural. It would come from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, which is financed by a 3/8th percent sales tax voters approved in 2008 when they passed the Legacy Amendment.
Dehn's bill, HF2360, will be heard along with several other bills Wednesday by the House Legacy Finance Division.
Sen. Bobby Joe Champion has offered the Senate version of the Prince mural bill.
In the days following Prince's sudden death in April of 2016 lawmakers in both the House and the Senate read tributes to Prince Rogers Nelson, recounting his achievements in the music and motion picture industries.
Then-Rep. Peggy Flanagan led House members in rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain" as fellow Rep. Mike Freiberg played keyboards. Due to House rules and decorum, the legislature went into recess for the performance.
Flanagan was elected to the post of lieutenant governor in 2018, while Freiberg is still in the legislature.
